Hole cleansing device



m 1943 Q. G. HENLEY 2,329,330

7 HOLE CLEANSING DEVICE I 'FilEd July 31, 1941 Ewen/702': zar w' 6152013103..

fiww' 4- Mm J v the latter.

'thedrillingrateg Forhthe purpose.'ofiefiecting these aid'sI.1; .hole- Cha rles G ilbert Brailey, Portffienry, Y4 as- I vsignor to Sullivan Machinery Companma cor- I poration' of Massachusetts: 7 j e Application July '31, 1941, serial N01 404,889

16- Claims. (Cl. 255i-50, This invention relates to holecleansing devices,

and more" particularly" to" devices for removing cuttings formed in In ,theiiormationfof we rock, niece tomary to effectjthe removal of the finelydivided particles of rock' formed by thejactionof the drill bit on the material at the bottomof the hole,'by "discharging a, fluid at the 'botton'i of the hole through theworking" instrumentand using this a ticle dunngthe drilling of fluidlt'o lift the cuttings and chips fr m. the" hole. I

A liquid o'r a gaseous fluidfmayfbe used-for this purpose,fbut in either case it is important that a substantial velocity'of fluid upwards, ofthhole be. maintained. In the drilling, of '1 relatively likely to be. so great that anadquate rate of'fluid The provision of rneans for reducing the not? are}; from; the bottom v offthe hole, to the ground level, andthe provision of. means for augmenting the .velocity of flow (over that which' wou1d* be I I obtained solelyas ;a"result,;ofthe fluid delivered tofthe bottom u the. hole through "the jdirill 'bit,

large holes the clearance around the drillsteel is willmake the. cleansing. of large holes much more efl'ective and, by ,reason of: the reduced loss of forceof blovi'lona pad of cuttingsgw ill iaug ment i I cleansing, I propose to provide on-"theidrill :rpa, vat

an. appropriate distance flfonr gthev .bottoniof the hole; aepartition-likemember. of; such. dimension as largely, topreventlthei escape of fluid-pastritrup through ,the holeg.and.v tojprovide means of rlatiyely smaller, diameter, than [the annulari' space 'aroundithe drilljr'odrthrough which fluid from the the bottomof theholeirnaytie-discharged. I Desirk ably, .meansm ay beas'sociated with the dischar conduit meansforaugrnent-ing the rate .of flow through 1 the .latter; and, in} a preferred for n, of

the myention, ,this. may take the form. of: afljet supported! by ,the partitionforming means I and "fed withifiuidunder substantial pressure through a conduit independent: o'i the cleaning fluid supply passagesYin the red line proper,- -iIf desired; the supply means for the jet mayi also -be. utilized to supply fluid; to a. further. jet f oiz maintaining turbulence withint-he spec be1owthe partition nemben:

' invention-may assume inpractice',

I Fig llis la vertical view re ovmg'iqos d materialfrorn thebott'om of; a

drill'holeduring'the drilling @r -megmer; Still I another object; is to provide? improved imean's'fo'r substantiallyclosing ofl e aceat'thepqttqrh' if a r l n le a i a 'l 'nai fie mi 3 .i l -fit in 'remo ale h ma f 'entr ancefi nto, a conduit and."dischargingitijtothe v e surface." Still another object to provide impi'ovedmeans associs'itedwith a drill tool, for

" n n i rg l n sed pice otrel i vl f Volume 1 t thci'bcatwmw hele' i n the drilling of thelatterj and effecting a disj-l charge of loose, 'rnat'erial from such space a delivery of the. material' tothe surfa-ce flStil1 another objectof the invention iszto provide an 1.

improved attachment tor; a rock drilling ebpa rat is for substantially. obstructing thejspaee 'surjrounding the drill rod andjproyidingf for agre I strictecl dischargefrom the 'spa'ceflloelowi s d" attachment, Yeti affurther' object of this inten tioni s toprovide an improved: glevice -fci fattagchy v toe: drill rodbothproviding for the":

arclly' n ieli QlQfii g 101T 19 e a ee Lfluid past saicl'idevice and embodying fmeansf for" fleet- ,i ing a. discharge offluidat relatively. highji'elocity from[beneathsuch'device Other objects l "advantages of theiinvention minnow-ever, he I inefter more fully appear, 1 W

,.II'1' theacco p'anying drawingthere is shovi n; for Pu poses of illustrationfone iorniwhich the e In this drawing: a

' mechanism v haying ithe invention inco'rpoiatii 7 shown. in section.

Fig. 21s, an "enlarged ,5 m viietv snewiiige portion of the. improved holefjcleansing device and independently of aldrilling niec'hanism'. "Fig."

v c o fliieinvent e i in r d an 1 improved hole cleansing device. Another object is to'provide;in proyedmeansfor rerm ving loose its connection; to the drillinggmech'anismhien'eferphe se 393 01mg. '2. i

Refer-ring to the cirawing,,it will'bejnoted jthet I my invention, inv its illustratiueiform, .is incorp'ojg vratedei'n ia,drilling mechanism of thehamnie'r actuated type; the iforwardmor'tion ot which is v i 7 indicated at The invention may; however,

be employed i drilling} In echanisms or the r0; tary type, or,. from ,xcertain ofits-a'spects, be used 1 there, is shown,the: ,forward portion of Fig. 3 is e, horizontal sectional v ie wt'a lgen of the drill hole.

a chuck housing 6 held in assembled relation with the other parts of the motor by usualside rods 1, coiledsprings 8 and nuts 9.. Within the chuck housing 5,.is rotatably mounted a chuck sleeve l connected, as by clutch teeth at its forward end, to a'driver member [2 having usual lugs which are enagageable' with lugs l4 formed on the shank o fthe drilling tool 4 for driving the latter. The rear portion of the drillingtool is slidably supported in a usual manner within a chuck bushing I5 suitably securedto'the chuck sleeve I0, and the r'earend of the drilling tool projects beyond the chuck bushing torec'eive blows delivered thereto by a striking bar Hi of a hammer piston. Formed on the striking barpassage 22, and a conduit 23 extending. longitudinally through the striking bar l6 to aspace attherear end of the drilling'tooldeliversair under pressure from any suitablesource to the passage 2 2 which conductsrthe air to the bottom A suitable bit 54 is carried at thebottom of the drill rod. The drilling tool support or drill rod 4 and the bit 54 evidently cooperate or unite to form a drilling tool.

Supported by the drill rod at a point spaced from its forward end isthe improved hole cleansing device, generally designated '24. The hole cleansing device comprises a circular disk25 havinga diameter slightly lessthan that of the hole .sothat it will not wedge in the'hole during the drilling. of the latter and'yet large enough so that the clearance around its vperiphe ry,,will

V be sufiiciently small to prevent the; escape of substantial quantities of fluid from the bottom of the'hole past thedisk; The disk is looselysup ported by the drill rod in a manner to prevent it from moving longitudinally of the latter but at the same time to permit free rotative movement between the rod and the disk. In this case the support for the disk is provided at the junction of two rod sections 26 and 21 threadedly connected together, as at 28, and. includes a shoulder 29 formed ,on the'section 26 and a shoulder 30 ,formed on the upper end of the section 21, these shoulders having between them" an annular groove 3| for receiving the annular portion. of

the disk surrounding an opening 32 through which thefforward end of the rod section 26 extends. The groove 3l is of such width when the rod sections 26 and 21V are in full threaded engagement, as to provide a loose j fltforthe disk 25. A small clearance 33 is provided between the wall of the opening 32 in the disk and the. periphery of thejrod section 26 to permit relative transverse movement between the disk and drill rod; Formed in the disk'is apassage 314 communicatingatbne end with a port 35 opening through the upper surface of the .disk,

iandopening. at its other end into a passage 36 .extending through the disk. as shown in Fig. 2. A flexible conduit or tube 38 is connected in communication with theport 35 by a connecting of any suitable devices not shown. Threaded into the end of the passage 34 opening into the passage 36 is a nozzle 40 which extends upwardly a 'short distance into the passage 36 and discharges along the aXisxoi the latter. A flexible tube 42 is connected by a connecting element 43' to the passage 36 at the, upper side of the disk.

The crosssectional areaof the passage in the tube 42 is madelarge enough to enablethe ready discharge of the cuttings along with the air 'enterin the hole through the passage 22 and the air; delivered through the nozzle 40, but small enough to maintain a velocity of flow which will ensure the cuttings .being carried along in the flowing column of air. If other flow augmenting meansthan the nozzle 40 were used, e. g., a

vacuum producing arrangement connected to the discharge end of the'conduit 42, a modification in the flow area of this conduit might be if desired, a plate 46 maybe placed onthe surface, and be providedwith openings 41,48 and 49 through which the drillrod and the tubes 38 and 42, respectively, may extend. The openings48 and-49 are so located as to hold the tubes 38 and 42irom frictionalengagement'with the Walls of the hole,-andjthe'upperjedges ofv the holes are rounded at 51 and 52 to reduce wearing of the tubes.

As thepiston' of the hammer motoris' recipro cated tofdeliver impact 'blowsto the end of the drillingtool through the striking bar, l,5,;th e'motor is moved alongjthe feed cylinders 3' tobring. the

drill bit 54 atthe forwardend of the drilling tool support into engagement with the material to be drilled. Air un'der pressure is: jslipplied through the conduit 23 and the passage'zlto 'thebottom of the hole formed by the drill bit,,and'any.loos e 1 material is forced upwardly about the drill When the hole is still shallow therelatively large area between the wall'oithe hole and the periphery of. the .drill rod "will not prevent successful discharge of the cuttings to the surfa'ce,-

but as the hole deepens difficulty would;be. en-

countered in a hole of substantial size were'it not.

7 hole largely int'erruptsthe escape of fluid through "the bore of the hole; sothat anadequate discharge rate throughthe passage 42 may be se'-. r cured. As previously-noted, the cuttings are di-' rected to this passage, by the concave lower side 44 of the plate, and the nozzle discharging into the conduit 42 increasessubstantially the velocity of flow throughthe'latter, 'As previously note, additional turbulence oi the airwithin the space below the'partition'inember might be pro- ,vided for the purpose of maintaining the" rock dust and cuttingsin; suspension byproviding an auxiliary 'jet opening" downwardly through the member 25 from'the conduit 35. ]It will bebbserved that the'materiaicarried by the air flow- '7 ing through the conduit 42 to the surface is'not only more efiectually and positively discharged due to themuch higher velocityof thestr'eam of fluid flowing through this conduit;"but also the cuttings may be discharged at any desired P int. j f

n Fronithe foregoihgdescription, it will-beevident that I have provided an attachment of. substantial utility--one particularlybeneficial where relatively large hol'estr are-to be; drilled; ,thatfl-this zgseegaao attachment secureswfull .efiicacy; 'forrtheq'fluida d'.-'

livered .torthe. :bottom f i the :hole-in' therdischarge of: the cuttingsiand. augments athis fluid'iinbring:

ingqaboutzthe dischargekof cuttings ibia -providing discharge conduit. Theiattachmentiisinexpeni- :sive" "and can be made: to :then drill E rodasimplyf by providingzif one is; not already presentsatthe desiredlocation, a. joint inthe drillsrod at the desired" distance'above the. bottom: of; the; hole. Where the nozzle isvemployed no auxiliary means at the surface for: the purposeoi augmentingthe flow through the discharge-conduit. .42 .is

necessary.- w

I "While there is: in this; application -specifically .described'one form which the invention=may;as.- sume inpractice', it will be-understoodthat this an auxiliary; volume of.,,air. moving through; the v means: for. ideliveringt air I underpressureijtoi-the bottonrof: thehole for" agitating the loose' material'producedby said drillingtoolgand means for producing'a lsuctionat the lower end of said con;- duit for promoting theentry of material intothe conduit and for effecting, discharge" thereof through said conduit to .the'surface;

.- 5. In adrilling mechanism, in combination, a

drilling tool; a..-motorfor actuating said drilling (0001;. and means for. removing material from a hole formed by} said drilling toolincluding a ma:-

' terialeconductingrtube, 'adisk supported-by said toolzfor substantially closing" off a space at the bottomzof the hole; means for. connecting-said tubein communication with said; space, and

, means; dischargingair underpressureupwardly form. of the: same; is shown for. purposes. of. i'llustration and that the; invention; may :be. modifled and-.embodied. in various other formsuwith:

out departing from its spiritor the scope-of the appended claims.

What'I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters lfatent is: In adrilling mechanism, incombination, a. I drilling tool, a motor for: actuating said drilling tool, andmeans for removing material. from: :the

in' communications. withlthe: space at the. lower sideofsaid-last'mentionedmeans..g q

2. In a. drilling. mechanism, in. combinatiomia .drilling tool, a motor'for actuatingxsaididrilling tool; and means: for removing:mat'erialifromla hole formed by said drilling tool'. including aconduit, a disk supportedi bysaid tool at' a: point spaced drama the bottom ofithehole, said disk preventing free communication between the I spaces. at its l opposite sides, means; for: connecting said. conduit'iin I communicationwith: the space a-t the; lower side of. said-:disk; and means foraeiiecting passage or material'into saidconduit and-La discharge "of; the material. throughi. the conduit 3, :In a; drilling. mechanism; in combination, a drilling. tool; 'a: motor: for actuating said i'drilling tool; andv means .for: removing material-froma hole formed by, said; drilling tool including: a con- *duit ,'a. disk supported by said tool: at? a point spaced. from the; bottomptther hole; said: disk 3 i preventing free communicationi: between the :spaces. at 7 its .opposite'sides, means. forrconnecting said; conduit. in communicatiorriwith the space at the lower side of said disk, and means dischargin'g air under pressure upwardly. into the lower passage axiallyg into the lower end of rial-conducting'tube- I intothe-lower end of said material-conducting tube for sucking material from the hole intothe tube, and discharging; it through the tubeto. the

surface; ,saidlast mentionedmeans including a conduit extendingjnto; said hole and delivering air under pressure to a passageformed' in; said I disk and a, nozzle for. discharging air from said said mate,-

6; In .a drilling mechanism, in combination; a

drilling:v tool, means for actuating said drilling tool; and means for removing-material fro-ma hole formed by said. drilling tool including a conduit for conducting material,- a disk;- supported by said tool; for: substantially closing ofiaspace at the bottom'of-the hole; 'means including an opening in said-disk for connecting saidiconduitin communication with said space, means for delivering air under pressure to the bottomof the hole andagitating material in saidspaca; and means: for creating a suction; at the lower endof said; conduit and effectinga withdrawalof ma.-

terial 'from' said space; Y

7. In a drilling;mechanismgin combination; a

drilling tool, means for actuating .saidl drilling tool, and means for removing'material fro'm a hole formed bysaid drilling toolincludinga con;- duit for conducting material, a disk supportedby said: tool 3 for. substantially closingoff a spaceat the bottom of. the hole. means includingan opening in said disk for; connecting said conduitin end of said conduit for efiectingdelivery of material from the hole into the conduit and discharging itthrough the conduit to the surface 4. In a drilling mechanism; in combination, a drilling tool, means for actuating said drilling tool,*and means for removing material from a hole formed'by said drilling'tool including a conduit supported at one end at a point spaced a substantially uniform distance from the bottom of the hole irrespective of the depth of the latter, means'surrounding the lower" end of said conduitfor substantially obstructing communication between the portions of the hole respectively above and below said conduit surroundingmeans,

communication. with said space,-means*includin'g a: passage extending through said drilling tool for delivering? air under pressure to thebottomyof the hole and-blowing loose material upwardly about the tool in said' .spac,e,.'and means discharging air under pressureupwardly intothe lower end of said conduit for effecting a. suction. of material from said space into said conduit and a dis charge of the material throughf'saidconduit to the:surfacet. I 8.v In a. drilling mechanism; in combination a drilling tool, means 'for actuating said drilling" tool,- and 'mcansfer removingmaterial' fromxa hole formed by said. drilling tool-including: a con- .duitgfor. conducting material,- a disk supported by said tool for substantially closing oif a space N at thebottomtof the hole; means including an opening in saiddisk for connecting said conduit in communication with said space, means including a.passage extending through said drilling tool:

for delivering air under pressure to the bottom of the hole and blowing loose material upwardly about the tool in said space,and means discharg ing air under pressure upwardly into the lower end of said conduit for effecting a suction of material from said space into said conduit and a discharge of the material. through said conduit to the surface, said last. mentioned means inwithin said conduit.

cluding a'passage in said disk, a conduit extend ing into said hole and delivering air under pressure to said disk passage, and'a nozzle discharging air from said disk passage axially, into said material conducting conduit. i

9. In an apparatus of the classdescribed, a drilling implement having means for discharging a cleansing fluid therethrough to the bottom of a drilled hole, means supported by said drillingimplement a substantially uniform distanceabove the bottom of the hole irrespective of the depth of the vlde a restrictedcommunication between the p01- tions of the hole respectively above and below said 1 member only along the walls of the hole, a concave surface at the lower side of said member, I passage means opening through said concave surlatter for obstructing the bore of the hole, means an opening through which a drill rod, is adapted to extend, having a supply opening for fluid under pressure, having an opening connecting its opposite sides, and having a nozzleconnected for supply of fluid thereto from said supply opening and discharging axially of said second opening,

. said member substantially corresponding" in diameter to the diameter of the hole to be formed by a drillbit carried by said drill rod.

11. An attachment for drill rods comprising a partition-forming member having an opening to be traversed by a drill rod and of an external diameter slightly smaller than that of the bit carried by said rods, saidpartition-forming member traversed by a passage for the delivery of fluidand cuttings from below it to its upper side, said passage proportioned to the volume of fluid to be passingthrough it to maintain a flow velocity materially higher than prevails in the space below said partition-forming member. I

12. In an apparatus of the class described, a drilling 'tool, means for actuating said drilling tool, and means for removing material from a hole formed by said drilling tool including a conduit, a member supported by said tool at apoint spaced from the bottom of the hole, said member cooperating with the walls of the hole to provide a restricted communication between the portions of the hole respectively above and below said member only along the walls of the hole, a

concave surface at the lower side of said member, means for connecting said conduit incommunication with the space at the lower side of said member, and means for producing a suction 13. In an apparatusof the class describedja drilling tool, means for actuating said drilling tool, and means for. removing material from a hole formed by said drilling too] including a conduit, a member supported by said tool at a point spaced from the bottom of the hole, said member cooperating with the Walls of the hole to proface atv a pointabove the lowermost edges "of the latter, means for connecting said conduit in communication with said passage means, and means for producing a suction within said conduit.

14. A device for'removing loose materiaffrom a hole comprising; in combination, amemberfitting within the hole and cooperating with the- Walls of the latter to permit a restricted communicationbetween the portions of the hole respectively above and below said member only along the walls of thehole and adapted to move down the hole as the latter deepens so as to be constantly near the bottom of the hole, the lower side of said member being recessed, a conduit connected through the bottom of the recess in communication with the space at thelower side of :said member and extending to the top'of the hole, and means for producinga, suction within said conduit.

15. A device for removing loosematerial' from a hole comprising, in'combination, 'a member fltting within the hole and cooperating with the Walls of the latter to permit a restricted communication between the portions of the hole respectively above and below said member only along the walls of the hole and adapted to move down the holeas the latter deepens so as to be'constantly near the bottom of the hole, the lower a connected to'said member and adapted to enter ing with the bottom of the drill hole below said side of said member being recessed, a conduit connected through'the bottom of the recess in communication with the space at thelower side of said member and extending to the top of the.

hole, and means includingan air 'supplyconduit the hole progressively as said member moves downwardlytherein and a nozzle discharging air axially into thelower end of said first mentioned flow of fluid from the bottom of the hole past, said device, said device being disposedon said drilling implement a substantially uniform distance from the hole bottom irrespective of the depth of the hole, means for supplying cleansing fluid to the hole bottom below said device to clear the cuttingsaway from the cutting portion of the drilling implement, and means communicatdevice and extending to the ground surface for discharging the cuttings from the bottom of the hole.

CHARLES GILBERT BRAILEY. d 

